Ophthalmology

 

 

 

 

The three-year ophthalmology residency program at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine prepares residents to be confident and well-qualified in both ophthalmologic surgical procedures and ophthalmologic office practice. It is designed so that residents, through comprehensive didactic and clinical training, meet the basic requirements for board certification in ophthalmology.

 

Among the most outstanding features of the program is the training residents receive at Wills Eye Hospital, an internationally-noted eye hospital, where much of PCOM's ophthalmology residency didactic work is based. Didactics there include daily morning rounds and grand rounds at noon.

 

"We have a close working relationship with the staff at Wills Eye," says Kenneth Heist, DO, program director of the ophthalmology residency. "After finishing your residency, it's a benefit to be able to tap into the knowledge there when a difficult case comes up in your own practice."

 

Residents are also able to attend weekend conferences at the Scheie Eye Institute. The many hospitals active in this program offer a great variety of cases, both medical and surgical, and an excellent setting for consultation in many other fields, as well as providing resources for research.

 

A basic science course beginning the first year leads into observation of cases, the study of radiologic films and pathology reports. Instrumentation study and an eye lab prepare the resident to perform some surgical procedures under supervision. During the second year, residents see patients in the clinic and office and gain increasingly varied surgical experience. Elective time is also allowed for subspecialty training.

 

"With some of the nation's foremost ophthalmologic resources and experts available, the learning environment for training ophthalmologists is unsurpassed," says Dr. Heist. "That is why we allow generous time to pursue electives in the subspecialty fields of a resident's choice."

 

During the third year, residents are responsible for pre- and post-operative patient care. The resident performs surgeries of greater complexity and assists attending physicians on other cases. Third-year residents also are responsible for training medical students, interns and junior ophthalmology residents in the clinics. In addition, third-year residents are allowed elective out-rotations. Among the subspecialty fields covered are cornea, glaucoma, retina, oculoplastics and pediatrics.

 

Program Director, Ophthalmology Residency

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

 

Ophthalmology

 

Board certified, Ophthalmology, 1996

Board certified, Family Practice, 1994

American Osteopathic Association

American Osteopathic College of General Practitioners

Osteopathic College of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery

New Jersey Academy of Ophthalmology

New Jersey Academy of Osteopahtic Physicians and Surgeons

 

 

Point of Service or HMO health insurance, including major medical, prescription and dental health coverage for residents and their families during the contract year.
Professional liability and disability insurance.
$800 per year continuing medical education stipend for conferences or books in included in salary.

Note: PCOM does not provide living quarters for residents.

 

In addition to daily morning and grand rounds, basic science studies and a reading program, residents attend weekly journal clubs and basic science reviews. A research paper/thesis is required during each of the three years of the residency.

 

Residents have access to PCOM's 60,000-volume medical library, on-line access to the Medline database and on-line access to every medical library in Pennsylvania, and computer and computer-assisted learning capabilities.

 

Alan Bart Brackup, MD
Stanford University Medical Center
Subspecialty: Oculoplastics, Oncology, Orbital Surgery

 

Marlene Moster, MD
Wills Eye Hospital
Subspecialty: Glaucoma

 

Leonard Nelson, MD
Lankenau Hospital
Subspecialty: Pediatric Ophthalmology

 

David Ringel, DO
John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital
Subspecialty: Cornea and External Diseases

 

Peter Savino, MD
Graduate Hospital
Subspecialty: Neuro-Ophthalmology

 

Nibondh Vacharat, MD
Episcopal Hospital
Subspecialty: Glaucoma